Form. The largest of the genus; bill long, curved; wings short, rounded, first quill subspurious, fifth and sixth slightly longest and nearly equal; tail long, graduated; outer feathers about one inch shorther than those in the middle; tarsi strong; toes long; claws, especially of the hind toes, large, strong.
Dimensions. Total length, male, about 11½ inches; wing, 4; tail, 5¼; bill, 1¾; tarsus, 1½ inches.
Colors. Entire upper parts light brown, slightly tinged with rufous on the rump; quills brownish black, edged on their outer webs with lighter; tail brownish-black, with a reddish tinge, lighter on the under surface; an obscure ashy white superciliary line; auricular feathers dark brown, with central white lines; throat white; breast and sides light brown, tinged with ashy and fulvous; middle of the abdomen, flanks and under tail-coverts rufous, darker on the last; bill black; tarsi lighter; “irides hazel.” Sexes alike?
Hab. California. Spec. in Mus. Acad., Philadelphia, and Nat. Mus., Washington.
Obs. There are two other species of this genus, both of which the present bird somewhat resembles, but it can easily be distinguished on comparison by its larger size. From the published descriptions the different species cannot be distinguished so readily, on account of their similarity of form and general characters.
Dr. Gambel regarded this bird as identical with a species mentioned and figured by the distinguished, though unfortunate navigator, La Perouse, and published in “Voyage de La Peyrouse autour du Monde,” Atlas, pl. 37 (Paris, 1797), under the name of “Promerops de la California Septentrionale.” Under this impression, Dr. Gambel gave this bird its specific name, redivivus.
Whether it is the fact, however, that the figure in La Peyrouse represents the present bird, admits of some doubt. To us it is much more like Toxostoma curvirostris, a smaller species.
Plate 43
The Vermilion Flycatcher
Cardellina rubra (Swainson)